iOS 27 Is Available to Download Today, Here's What's New

Apple today released iOS 27, the biggest iPhone software update of the year.

The free update is rolling out now to everyone with an iPhone 11 or later, and its headline addition is Siri AI, a rebuilt version of the assistant powered by Apple Intelligence.

iOS 27 arrives alongside iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate.

Any iPhone that can run iOS 26 is eligible for the update, though several of the marquee Apple Intelligence features require newer hardware. Apple introduced the Liquid Glass design with iOS 26 last year, and iOS 27 builds on it while pushing Apple Intelligence deeper into the system.

A look at some of the changes in iOS 27, including the new Siri app and refined Liquid Glass. Image via @applefiles_ on X.

Siri AI

The rebuilt Siri is the centerpiece of the release. Apple says the new assistant can draw on personal context from Messages, Mail, Photos, and Notes, answer questions about whatever is currently onscreen, and carry out actions across supported apps. A new camera mode lets users point the iPhone at something and ask about it or act on it, and a dedicated Siri app keeps longer conversations and history in one place.

There are limits at launch. Siri AI arrives as an English only beta and requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later, including the iPhone 16 lineup and newer. Apple says it is not initially available in the European Union or China, and the company plans to add more languages in October.

Siri AI can understand personal context, read what is onscreen, and take actions in apps. Image via @applefiles_ on X.

A refined Liquid Glass design

iOS 27 gives the Liquid Glass interface another round of polish. A new slider in Settings lets you adjust Liquid Glass anywhere from clear to fully tinted, and Apple has sharpened several app icons and improved contrast and readability across the system. Control Center also picks up small changes, including cellular signal information so you can check network strength without leaving the screen.

Refreshed app icons, status bar tweaks, and other system level changes. Image via @applefiles_ on X.

Faster performance

Performance is a focus this year. Apple says app launches are up to 30 percent faster, newly captured photos load in the Photos library up to 70 percent faster, and AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent faster. Search results in Spotlight, Photos, and Mail have also been tuned to be more useful.

Upgrades across the built in apps

Apple Intelligence reaches further into the stock apps in iOS 27. Photos adds Extend, Reframe, and Spatial Reframing tools for adjusting a shot after it was taken, along with an improved Clean Up. Safari gains Notify Me, which monitors a webpage for price drops and restocks, plus the ability to build an extension from a plain language description. Image Playground can now generate more photorealistic images, and Shortcuts lets you create automations simply by describing what you want.

More additions across Camera, Safari, Music, and beyond. Image via @applefiles_ on X.

iPhone Handoff and family safety

A new iPhone Handoff feature lets you switch between two iPhones while using the same phone number on each, though it requires carrier support and may carry a monthly fee. On the family side, Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse give parents more control over app downloads and Safari browsing, and Communication Safety now blurs gore and violence in addition to nudity.

How to update

To install, open Settings, tap General, then Software Update. Because so many people download the update on release day, servers can be slow at first, so waiting a day or two can make for a smoother upgrade.